Ella Beth Male
Ella Beth (Kauffman) Male, 86, Tecumseh, Mich., died Sunday, March 12, 2017 at Hospice of Lenawee County, Adrian, Mich.
Ella was born Sept. 18, 1930 in Versailles, Mo. to John Samuel Kauffman and Lovina Rachel (Garber) Kauffman. She married Ernest William Male on Sept. 3, 1950 in Mendon, Mich. He preceded her in death Jan. 5, 2017.
Ella was a resident of Kosciusko County from 1959 until her recent move to Tecumseh, Mich. She was an active member of Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church and Warsaw Community Grace Brethren Church for many years. In addition to her full-time job of mother, wife, and homemaker, Ella also worked at the Free Methodist Headquarters and Grace Brethren Foreign Missions Office in Winona Lake.
Ella was married to the love of her life, Bill, for 66 years and was an integral part of his work as a college and seminary teacher and administrator at the main campus of Grace College and Theological Seminary and at the extension campus that Bill helped start in California. Ella also enjoyed traveling with Bill to many places in the world. Ella was gifted in the area of hospitality and delighted to open her heart and home to hundreds of individuals over the years for meals or longer stays depending on the need.
Through the years, her other interests included bird-watching, music, and collecting a large number of grandchildren. She traveled to be with her daughters for the birth of each of her 17 grandchildren, with the exception of one who was born in Africa.
Ella is survived by her four daughters: Martha (husband Jim) Hines, Saginaw, Mich.; Mary (husband Dave) Smith, Allison, Iowa; Ruth (husband Bob) Markham, Oregonia, Ohio; and Becky (husband Jim) Colman, Adrian, Mich. She is also survived by a sister, Ann Neuenschwander, 17 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren, and numerous nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, four brothers, and her son-in-law, Roy Leon Lowrie.
The family will receive friends from noon-1 p.m. Thursday, March 16 at the Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw.
The memorial service celebrating Ella’s life will be conducted at 1 p.m. at the funeral home immediately following the visitation. The service will be officiated by Dr. James Colman. Interment will take place at Oakwood Cemetery of Warsaw.
Memorial donations in honor of Ella’s life may be given to Warsaw Christian School, 909 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw, IN 46580, or to Alzheimer’s Association, alz.org.
Online condolences may be sent through the funeral home’s Web Site at www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com